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5 accompaniments to avoid to keep you healthy and to lose weight

I am a foodie! Being a Marwari, our meals are not simple staple food and contains lot of accompaniments along with basic roti, vegetables (sabzi), dal (lentils) and rice. In my quest for personal fitness and wanting to lose weight, I initially struggled for few months. I kept wondering why am I not losing weight in spite of eating at regular intervals, not cheating, not eating out, limiting high fat food intake, proper exercise routine, good 8 hours sleep and also resorting to meditation to remain stress free ?

These questions kept lingering in my thoughts and one fine day my health expert analyzed my routine, my diet and figured that there were few dishes that I should be avoiding or limiting my intake on if I need to lose or maintain my weight. That’s when I found the solution and achieved the best results on this journey!

I would like to share with you all about the most common 5 side dishes that people love, but, should be avoided or have it once in a while if you are on weight loss journey.

(1) Papad

Ahh!! That crunchy crispy papad.

Rice and dal seem like an incomplete meal without Papad on the side. Papads can be deep fried–extremely unhealthy – or roasted – which is equally unhealthy! They can be made from rice, flour, potatoes or chickpeas and are mixed with a variety of spices, salt, and oil. An uncontrolled serving of Papad can amp your calorie intake and exceed your daily budget. The increase in sodium can lead to water retention, bloating, and constant thirst and may even cause an increase in one’s blood pressure. Since, most of them consume more Papad in one sitting it may lead to acidity, and digestive problems too. When fried using same oil many times, the reused oil becomes transfat leading to cardiac issues and high cholesterol. When dry roasted, acrylamide is formed due to the presence of sodium benzoate. So, be mindful.

(2) Pickles

A spoonful of pickle can spice up any meal. In fact I have seen people can take their meal only with pickles without any veggies sometimes. It works well with curd rice; adds a punch to Potato Breads (Aloo Paranthas), and makes Theplas (Breads made of various grains) the best dish to snack on! Pickles stand out as flavorful, low-calorie vegetables and is high in vitamin K. However, pickles are loaded with calories because of the oil they are preserved in and their nutrition content is almost zero, as the vegetables and fruits are minced and dried, which takes away the nutritional value. Like Papads, they are high in sodium due to the use of excessive salt for preservatives which might lead to hypertension if taken in excess. So Again the same funda…Eat in limit!

 (3) Salad dressings  

Salad…salad and just salads!!! Most of the weight loss dieters say they are on some kind of only salads diet! But, still not losing weight?

If you think having salads at the start of your meal will help you eat one less parantha, then go ahead and have a bowl. But, this salad helps only if it is not loaded with high-calorie dressings. Adding dressing to a salad can make the calorie content soar. Dressings such as Thousand Islands and Mayonnaise are loaded with calories, most of them fat. Stick to olive oil, lemon or low-fat yogurt instead!

(4) Soups

Salads are mostly accompanied with bowl of soup. And, one is right in thinking that a soup can be a healthy meal. It can fill your stomach and make you go less on other carbohydrate foods. But, if the soup is loaded with toppings such as cheese, cream, and croutons, it’s far from being healthy. Stick to clear soup with pieces of veggies and meats; shun all cream-based soups. And never pick up the soup sticks or dinner rolls that accompany your soup in a restaurant. That’s another side you don’t need! Go for more of homemade soups without any corn flour and also avoid packaged one as they are also high in sodium being added as preservative. Rather you can add oats flour as thickening agent. You can also opt for healthy cold soups.

(5) Boondi Raita

This curd based mixture is a hot favourite with most of us. Curd is high in protein, calcium, probiotic and the perfectly aid in digestion. It’s good to have curd daily for a healthy gut. The problem begins when you add fried snack to it. Boondi is nothing but fried globules of chickpea flour. The addition makes it a high-caloric food. When fried in reused oil, it becomes transfat and thus may lead to heart issues. So you can opt for veggies in curd or spinach, cabbage, pomegranate, carrot, cucumber, onion and the likes instead of a friend snack in curd.

So be mindful with all these above foods and get fitter and healthier.

We hope this article helps you make informed choices for your weight loss journey. Have any tips on healthier accompaniments? Share them with us in the comments below. For more guidance on nutrition and weight management, explore Healthy Reads or consult a certified expert through GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

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Beyond Counting: Unraveling the Real Story Behind Calories

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CALORIE- a term that haunts many of us …And Counting Calories was one such thing that drove me crazy in the last 2 years. Somehow I always felt and many of you will agree, that, all the tasty and delicious food of the world has tons of calories, whereas the ones which we don’t find tasty, has fewer..

Two years back when I started my weight loss journey, my greatest difficulty was keeping a count of calories all the time. But then, it seemed to be the only option to lose weight. I was told that my calorie intake should be between 1200 cal- 1500 cal. Left with no choice, I did that for quite some time. Opting for low calorie food, staying hungry, doing cardio but sadly, the result was minor weight loss with pain in my knees, low energy levels and pale skin.

I was unable to understand the reason for so many health problems.  I was eating a healthy low cal diet (which seemed to be healthy then), was doing 45 min of cardio followed by strength training. Hence, I started reading about calories and weight loss. But, all my reading led to more confusion and I finally decided to do a course in nutrition. And that is when my understanding about being fit and healthy started to evolve. My studies made me identify  the areas where I was lacking. I was so conscious of calories but was not paying any attention to food and its quality.

Calorie is just a unit of measurement for energy content. It tells us how much energy we get by burning the food. And I realized that I should keep the definition of it as it is in my mind, and not make it  the focal point of my fitness journey. Carbohydrates contain between 3 and 4 kcal per gram; proteins are about the same; fats contain approximately 9 kcal per gram. I was of the mindset that for weight loss to happen, I have to decrease the intake of calories and increase the output by staying physically active. But, things are not as simple as they appear.  There is much more needed for correct weight loss to happen and to have a lean and fit body. And that much more is NUTRITION. From where these calories are coming is something that matters the most. For example – if a person consumes 1200 calories from processed food and the other consumes 1200 calories from  balanced diet which has carbs, proteins , fats and fiber … which one do you think will experience weight gain ? The answer is known to all of us- obviously the one consuming  calories from  processed food. So yes, 1200 calories matters but, what matters the most is- what these calories do in and to our bodies and from where these calories are coming i.e. the quality of the food. Eating fewer and fewer calories does not result in better weight loss. When our body senses an energy deficit, it slows its metabolism by reducing the output of important hormones.

 I have stopped counting calories now.  My eating pattern has totally changed. My focus is in making my every meal more nutritious and balanced with the right combination of carbohydrates , fats , proteins and fiber..  I have been focusing on what my body tells me. I eat if I feel hungry because my body needs food then. I still want to look a certain way. I want to be healthy, lean and fit. But, at the same time, I do not want to harm myself in any way by not taking care of the nutrition part of food. I am confident about myself now, I know the weight loss is going to be slow but that does not matter to me anymore.  Weight is just a number and no weighing scale can judge or tell me my fitness in terms of numbers.  It’s me who can feel it. I know that what I am eating now is certainly having more number of calories  than earlier but now, these calories are coming from the food that my body needs.

Thanks to my diet, I feel energetic throughout the day, my stamina for running has improved. I don’t feel any joint pain and I am sure I will soon be running a marathon, (something that I have always wanted to do)

The journey from calorie counting to nutrition-focused eating is a transformative one. Discovering the true significance of food quality over mere numbers has reshaped the approach to fitness for many. As we celebrate the realization that health is not just about counting calories but nourishing our bodies, let’s embrace a holistic understanding of nutrition for a sustainable and vibrant life. Share your own journey in the comments below and inspire others on their path to well-being. For further information or guidance, reach out to our certified experts by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

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How Your Microwave Could Be Damaging Your Health

microwaveHow many times have you pulled out food from the fridge and pushed it directly in the microwave? It’s convenient, it’s easy and saves a lot of time. Apart from reheating, microwaves are used for cooking and baking – all without burning or creating any mess. But with great convenience, comes even greater risks. Studies have concluded that microwaves can make our food radioactive! This increases the risk of cancer along with other health hazards.

Repeatedly cooking or reheating food using a microwave with plastic containers can cause some harmful chemicals to leach into the food and destroy its nutrients. More than 70% households have microwaves and most hotels and restaurants also use them to reheat and cook food faster. Want to know what your microwave can do to your health?

How Your Microwave Can Damage Your Health

  1. Increased Risk of Cancer: Foods that are microwaved cause different types of stomach and intestinal cancer. The prolonged use of microwaves in cooking causes the growth of cancerous cells in the human blood. Plastic containers used to heat the food have been found to release carcinogens along with other harmful toxins into food which is then absorbed by the human body.
  2. Loss of Nutrients: Water molecules rotate rapidly in the microwave. High frequencies create molecular friction. This causes the molecular structure in food to change and diminishes the nutrients present in food. When food is cooked or reheated in the microwave there is a loss of minerals, vitamins, micro nutrients, and the human body gets little to no benefit from that food.
  3. Affects the Immune System: Eating microwaved food excessively can impact blood serum levels and lymph glands which affect immune system functions and leads to immune system deficiencies. If you are falling sick frequently and are using the microwave for cooking or reheating the food, you should stop using the microwave and check if there’s any improvement in your health. Don’t compromise your health to save a few minutes.
  4. Causes Loss of Memory: The central nervous system, especially the hippocampus is highly sensitive to microwave radiation. Eating microwave cooked food consistently causes loss of memory, loss of ability to concentrate, emotional stability and brain damage in the long run. This is because it causes electrical impulses in the brain to ‘short out’. So ask yourself if cooking food in the microwave is better than memory loss.
  5. Effects hormonal imbalance: Microwaved food can alter the production of male and female hormones in the human body. Eating microwaved food excessively can contribute to PCOD and infertility. It also affects the maintenance of hormonal balance in males and females.
  6. Irregular Heartbeat: A study shows that radiation emitted by the microwave affects heart rate.  If you are facing regular chest pain and/or irregular heartbeat, you should stop using the microwave in your kitchen. It can also affect your blood pressure, pulse rate, and other cardiovascular functions.

What Can We Do To Reduce The Damage?

  • Avoid using plastic cookware to cook or heat food. Also avoid pouring hot food (especially liquid) into a plastic container. Even if it says “microwave safe” on it, it’s still going to leach chemicals. It simply means the container won’t warp in the heat.
  • If you wish to use the microwave urgently, use glass or ceramic cookware.
  • Don’t use plastic storage bags from the grocery store. Don’t let plastic wrap touch your food during microwaving because it may melt.
  • Old, scratched, cracked or even containers which have been microwaved too many times may leach out more plasticizers.
  • If you experience any health issue like a headache, dizziness, eye pain, sleeplessness, hair loss, anxiety, stomach pain, etc. you need to stop using your microwave and consult a doctor immediately. 

Using a microwave all the time isn’t a compulsion. Keep its use to a minimum. It’s always better to use a gas stove for reheating food using a stainless steel utensil. We hope this article helps you. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below!

For more facts such as these, check out Healthy Reads or connect with your GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

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All About Cooking In Clay Pots

clay pots

As we are becoming more and more health conscious, trying to eat healthier meals, we cannot overlook the cookware used to prepare those meals. The vessels we choose have a great impact on the taste, quality and nutritional value of food. While Researching about which cookware is the best for our health, I always noticed that clay pots are on top of the list but I was never sure if I can really cook my regular food in them. A few weeks back, after a lot of research on how we can use them for regular cooking, I gave it a try and bought one home. Now I can confidently say that everyone should give them a try. In fact, I am planning to buy some more as I find more space in my kitchen to keep them safely. Before you get convinced by my experience, let’s understand why you should be switching to clay pots.

Benefits Of Using Clay Pots 

  • They infuse your food with calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, sulphur and many other minerals depending on the composition of clay used in making these pots.
  • Help in restoring pH balance of food as clay is alkaline in nature.
  • Lends a nice earthy aroma and enhances the flavor of your food which metal pans usually destroy. 
  • Preparing food in clay pots requires slow cooking which helps retain maximum nutrition.
  • Less oil is required while cooking in clay pots as the porous nature of clay pots allows heat and moisture to circulate evenly.
  • Prevents us from harmful chemicals and metals that leach into our food while cooking in metals like aluminium and non-stick cookware. 
  • They are pocket friendly and available in different sizes and shapes.
  • Environmentally friendly and completely biodegradable.

How To Choose Them 

Clay pots are available in glazed and unglazed form. Both have their own set of advantages. 

Glazed ones are ready to use, have a shiny appearance and are easy to clean. These encourage good steam circulation due to low ability to absorb water. But sometimes, their glaze could be of low quality that may contain harmful chemicals. On the other hand, unglazed pots need a little bit more care being more porous, but have better ability to balance the pH of food.

How To Use Clay Cookware 

  1. Clay cookware needs to be prepared prior to first use by immersing them in water for 24 hours or at least overnight.
  2. Next day, scrub and rinse it and let it dry. Then you need to soak it in starch water/rice, cooked water/rice soaked water for one more day.
  3. Wash it again and dry it under the sun. After drying, wipe it with any vegetable oil and dry it under the sun till the oil is absorbed by the pot. 
  4. Your clay pots are ready to use now.
  5. Though this preparation process seems long but ensures a long life to your clay pots.

How To Maintain Clay Pots 

Some points are needed to be kept in mind while using clay pots in your daily routine.

  • Never keep hot clay pots on a cold surface or put cold water in a hot pot. This temperature shock may cause cracks.
  • You may not want to clean them with soap as it will enter into small pores of the pots which can mix into food while cooking. Use ash, baking soda and salt, rice flour or gram flour to clean these pots.
  • These pots work well on a regular gas stove, but never heat empty pot on very high flame. During cooking, it is advisable to keep the flame medium to low.

If you haven’t got a hold of clay pots yet, I suggest getting one and experiencing the goodness and flavor in food that usual cookwares lack. I hope this article helps you if you plan on using one. Do leave your thoughts and queries in the comments below! 

For more useful information, check out Healthy Reads or reach out to our certified experts by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

 

#BeTheForce 

From Terminal Illness To Complete Wellness! Ananda Mukherjee Health Story

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